Shady Side, MD climate
Shady Side has mild winters and warm summers. A typical July afternoon reaches 88°, a January night drops to 28°, and about 14 inches of snow falls in a normal winter.
NOAA 1991-2020 climate normals Updated once a decadeWhat a year in Shady Side feels like
Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall
Shady Side weather by month
Average highs, lows, rain and snow for every month, from NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals.
| Month | High | Low | Rain + melt | Snow | Wet days | Snow on ground | 30-yr range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 44° | 28° | 3.1" | 5.1" | 10 | 4 | 29° – 43° |
| February | 47° | 29° | 2.7" | 4.8" | 10 | 4 | 27° – 46° |
| March | 55° | 36° | 4.1" | 2.3" | 11 | 1 | 40° – 55° |
| April | 66° | 46° | 3.3" | 0.1" | 11 | 0 | 52° – 61° |
| May | 75° | 55° | 3.7" | 0 | 11 | 0 | 61° – 71° |
| June | 83° | 65° | 4.3" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 70° – 78° |
| July | 88° | 70° | 4.5" | 0 | 10 | 0 | 74° – 82° |
| August | 86° | 68° | 4.4" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 73° – 80° |
| September | 79° | 62° | 4.6" | 0 | 8 | 0 | 68° – 75° |
| October | 68° | 50° | 3.9" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 55° – 65° |
| November | 57° | 39° | 3.1" | 0 | 9 | 0 | 42° – 53° |
| December | 48° | 32° | 3.7" | 1.8" | 11 | 1 | 32° – 51° |
| Year | 66° | 48° | 45.3" | 14.1" | 118 | 9 |
“Wet days” have at least 0.01" of rain or melted snow. “Snow on ground” counts days with 1" or more. The 30-year range is the coldest and warmest that month’s average temperature got between 1991 and 2020.
Rain and snow in Shady Side
Shady Side gets 45 inches of rain and melted snow a year. September is the wettest month and February the driest. Rain or snow falls on about 118 days a year. Snow covers the ground about 9 days of the year.
About 228 frost-free days a year
In half of years the last 32° night comes by March 29 and the first one by November 12. That leaves about 228 frost-free days for gardens, longer than 85% of U.S. towns.
Heating and cooling a home in Shady Side
Engineers use “degree days” to estimate how hard a furnace or air conditioner works. In Shady Side, 75% of that work is heating and 25% is cooling.
Degree days measure how far each day’s average temperature falls below or rises above 65°, added up over a year. Source: NOAA station normals.
How Shady Side compares
Compared with every U.S. town and city on TownTapestry, each counted once.
Warmer than it used to be
The last 30 years in Shady Side averaged 1.5° warmer than the 1900s. The biggest change is in December (+2.6°). The shift is larger than in 71% of U.S. towns.
Change by month1991–2020 average minus 1901–2000 average, at Shady Side’s spot on NOAA’s grid
How much a month can swing
A normal is an average, and real years wander around it. December swings the most: between 1991 and 2020 its average temperature ranged from 32° to 51°. September is the most reliable, staying within 7°.
Common questions about Shady Side’s climate
What is the coldest month in Shady Side?
January, with a typical high of 44° and a low of 28°.
What is the hottest month in Shady Side?
July, with a typical high of 88° and a low of 70°. About 32 days a year reach 90°.
How much snow does Shady Side get?
About 14 inches in a normal winter, most of it in January.
When is the first frost in Shady Side?
In half of years the first 32° night comes by November 12, and the last spring frost by March 29.
What is the rainiest month in Shady Side?
September, with 4.6 inches of rain and melted snow. The year totals 45 inches.
Temperatures and rainfall come from NOAA’s gridded climate normals for Shady Side itself (about a 3-mile square). Snow, frost dates and day counts come from NOAA’s weather station at Royal Oak 2 Ssw, MD (19 mi, snow) and Stevensville 2sw, MD (14 mi, frost, heat and degree days). Normals are 30-year averages, not a forecast. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020 and 1901–2000.